Minneapolis, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team picked up a sweep in its final non-conference test of the season on Monday afternoon. Playing at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium located on the campus of the University of Minnesota, the Gusties swept the College of St. Scholastica by scores of 11-3 and 6-2. Gustavus improves to 28-8 overall with the sweep, while St. Scholastica falls to 29-10 and sees its 19-game winning-streak come to an end.
Game One
In game one of Monday’s twin bill, it was St. Scholastica jumping out an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Bonnie Kowalczyk homered to lead off the inning, and Emily Schiro singled to left field to score Molly Jazdzewski.
Following the Saints’ two-run second inning, Gustavus starting pitcher Kate Rentschler didn’t allow another hit until the seventh inning when St. Scholastica scored a run on one hit. By that time, it was too late. The Gustie bats came alive in the fourth inning and after 11 hits, Gustavus was on top 11-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Gustavus scored one run in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the sixth, and five in the seventh. Sarah Rozell hit a solo home run to right-center field in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 2-1. The blast was Rozell’s second of the season.
In the top of the fifth, Kailey Morgan gave Gustavus a 3-2 lead with a two-run double to the gap in right-center field. Jen Ulmen later brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to center, putting Gustavus up 4-2.
The Gusties extended their lead to 6-2 in the sixth when Lisa Klass drove in Christina Riester with a sacrifice fly to center, and Brittany Brenke plated Shelby Nosan with a slap-hit single down the left field line.
The Gustavus offense broke the game open in the final inning by putting up five runs on six hits. Within the frame, Nosan recorded a two-run single, Kat Dahl and Carly Klass both had one-run doubles, and Dee Dee Arnold capped the inning off with a one-run single.
Dahl turned in her finest performance of the season at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Kate Rentschler went the distance for the win, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two. She improves to 14-4 on the season with the win. Her counterpart Darcy Roach drops to 16-7 with the loss, allowing 11 runs (nine earned runs) on 13 hits.
Game Two
Holding on to a 3-0 lead through four and a half innings in the night cap, Rentschler put the game out of reach with a towering three-run home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting Gustavus on top 6-0. A no-doubter off the bat, Rentschler’s bomb (her sixth of the season) cleared the 20-foot netting that extends from the top of the eight-foot high fence. The junior would finish the game 2-for-3 with one run and three RBI.
The Gusties grabbed an early 3-0 lead in the game, scoring a run in the first inning and two more in the second. Rozell singled to center to bring home Brenke in the first. Then in the second inning, Carly and Lisa Klass hit back-to-back doubles off the wall to bring in a pair of runs.
St. Scholastica scored a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to bring the score to a final at 6-2. Gustavus starter Sarah Rozell picked up the complete-game win to improve to 15-2 on the year. She allowed two runs on nine hits while striking out two. Jordan Spiering (7-3) got the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits in four and one third innings.
The Gustavus softball team will cap the regular season back in conference play with a road doubleheader against Saint Mary’s on Tuesday, May 1. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.